Demand Drives RV-Storage Conversion in Arizona

U.S. Door & Building Components teams with Caliber Metal Buildings to create unique self-storage facility in near Lake Havasu, Ariz.

Sep 30, 2008

Lake Powell and the surrounding Glen Canyon National Recreation Area in Northern Arizona and Southern Utah are said to be breathtaking. Every year more than 3 million people descend upon the 186-mile-long lake, including owners of some of world’s largest houseboats. Because of the abundance of recreational activities in the area, quality boat and RV storage is in increasing demand.

Located near the heart of activities is Lake Powell Boat and RV in nearby Page, Ariz. Recognizing the need for more enclosed storage facilities, the owners asked Orlando, Fla.-based U.S. Door & Building Components, a manufacturer of self-storage building components, to enclose the canopies at their current storage site. U.S. Door partnered with Caliber Metal Buildings, a metal-building designer in Gilbert, Ariz., to convert three of the RV/boat canopies into enclosed buildings. The new 80-foot-by-40-foot buildings added nearly 10,000 square feet of premium storage.

A New Design

The original canopies were open to the elements and had AB-grade gravel for flooring. Before beginning the project, the owner poured a 4-inch concrete slab as a base for the buildings, providing a smooth, low-maintenance floor that prevents rain from seeping into the units. Also, a half-inch rain lip was engineered above the doors to prevent rain, dust and dirt from entering the units.

Because of the custom design, U.S. Door performed extensive field measurements of the existing canopies. The measurements were then used to design a wall system to allow the use of the existing canopy roof, resulting in cost-savings to the site owners. The design incorporates roll-up doors, structural jambs and headers, unit partitions, building corners and trim.

Caliber Metal Buildings erected the structural steel for the buildings. Due to the height of the buildings, Caliber used a scissor-lift at the jobsite, enabling the installation crew to work quickly and safely to complete the job in less than two weeks.

“A quick installation time was important to our customer,” says Rob Finelli of Caliber Metal Buildings. “Creating the least amount of inconvenience to existing storage customers was a goal from the time we arrived until the job was completed.”

More Room

While each building has the same square footage, layouts are diverse so they can accommodate different sized boats and RVs. In addition, 16 self-storage units were added to the facility.

Building 6 is split into 13 bays; Building 7 into 13; and Building 9 into eight. Buildings 6 and 7 can store vehicles and boats up to 10.5 feet by 35 feet. Building 9 can store vehicles up to 13.5 feet by 35 feet. The interior reaches more than 15 feet high. Each building features horizontal partitions with full-height studs, providing extra security for customers and added support for the building structure.

In addition to designing the building enclosure, U.S. Door manufactured the roll-up doors, the trim for eaves and door openings, partition walls and metal studs. The custom-folded trim for the eaves and openings was produced by the company’s computer-aided folding machines.

Two door models were used. For the smaller openings on the self-storage units, the owner chose Model 501 roll-up doors. Model 652 doors were chosen for larger doors for wind-resistance and the additional security of wind locks for a secure fit. Model 652 doors also feature nylon wind locks, creating a quieter, smoother operation and easier installation than other types of wind-load doors. The new buildings are light tan with patriot red on the trim and doors, which matches the existing buildings.

U.S. Door & Building Components has been a major international supplier to the self-storage industry for more than 30 years. In addition to supplying roll-up doors, the company offers a complete portfolio of related products, including hallway and corridor systems, swing doors, lockers, EZ Access wicket doors, relocatable buildings and mezzanine systems. For more information, call 407.859.6770; visit www.usdoor.com.